1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for securing doors to prevent entry, and more particularly pertains to a new deadbolt actuation lever blocker apparatus for securing a deadbolt actuation lever and a deadbolt in the locked position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In all residential and commercial settings, the concept of securing persons such as oneself, loved ones, and employees is of paramount importance. As advances in technology and the availability of information make it easier to thwart locking mechanisms on doors in homes, hotel rooms and offices, a need has developed for a portable device to positively secure a door. In some instances, individuals may desire the security of a locking mechanism that allows outside entry in some situations but prevents outside entry in other situations.
Traditional doorknobs with integrated locking mechanisms employ a spring-loaded bolt which may be retracted with minimal pressure. Typically, no mechanism positively “locks” the bolt in a closed position. The action of locking a traditional doorknob engages a lock cylinder to prevent the knob or lever from being turned, thereby preventing the bolt from being retracted using the knob. Even by preventing the knob from turning, doors secured by these traditional doorknobs can be opened using a thin, rigid object inserted between the door and the frame to press against and retract the bolt into the door.
In order to overcome these problems, deadbolt locking mechanisms, in contrast, do not employ spring-loaded bolts, relying instead on a direct connection between the deadbolt's lock cylinder and the bolt itself. In order to retract or extend the bolt, the lock cylinder must be turned. Although deadbolt locking mechanisms have security advantages over traditional doorknobs with integrated locking mechanisms, exterior access to the lock cylinder still permits an individual to disengage the deadbolt with a key or through the process of lock-picking. Certain deadbolt locking mechanisms are of the exit-only type, and do not have exterior access to the lock cylinder. These exit-only deadbolts may be locked and unlocked only from one side of a door, making them unsuitable for securing a door which is used to both enter and exit property. Without access to the interior of a door, the deadbolt locking mechanism may not be engaged. Door chains and hinged locks commonly found in apartments and hotel rooms also suffer from this limitation.
Furthermore, apartments and hotels commonly maintain master keys which open any door in a particular facility. Although commonly used for tasks such as maintenance and cleaning, these master keys present a security risk to occupants who desire no access to their person or belongings. In addition to master keys, unknown or unaccounted duplicate keys held by previous tenants, residents or guests may also jeopardize security from outside entry.
A number of apparatus have been proposed that provide a locking mechanism which may only be operated from one side of the door. Known apparatus all require some type of permanent modification of, or attachment to, a door. The user of a door chain or a hinged lock, for example, must affix a portion of the chain or lock on the door and an adjacent location on the door frame. Modification of, or attachment to a door is not always permitted or convenient, however.
In these respects, the deadbolt actuation lever blocker apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus highly effective for securing a deadbolt actuation lever and a deadbolt in the locked position, thereby preventing outside entry, even with a key.